Yoga Nidra: Journey To Inner Stillness

Welcome to this practice of Yoga Nidra.

Welcome home to yourself.

Please settle into a comfortable position,

Lying back or seated in the most supportive way possible,

Allowing your eyes to gently close,

Taking time to settle into a position that feels just right.

Arrange yourself so you feel supported for entering a deep state of self-inquiry.

Make any necessary adjustments so you can be just an extra 5-10% more comfortable.

In Yoga Nidra,

You are guided to notice and feel physical sensations,

The breath,

And feelings,

And tuning in with presence.

Welcome every experience as a messenger that is inviting you to explore sensations,

Emotions,

And thoughts,

Without trying to change,

Fix,

Or make anything happen.

As you welcome whatever is arising,

Your body and mind are learning to remain at ease,

And discover the feeling within that is always at peace and at ease.

Experiencing yourself to be unchanging well-being,

A witnessing presence that is welcoming everything.

Allow the experience of yourself as the witness of all that comes and goes.

Whatever you experience is perfect,

Just as it is.

No need to change anything.

Now simply rest and follow my guidance.

And now,

Take a deep breath in,

And then release the breath.

And as you release,

Listen to your exhale as it gently,

Audibly releases,

Hearing a gentle hum as the breath exits.

And another breath in,

And releasing with an audible hum.

And now allow all your senses to be wide open and alive,

Opening to sensation on your skin and within.

Inner seeing of lights or images dancing behind closed eyelids,

And tasting on your tongue,

Smells,

Notice sounds in the distance and nearby,

And the spaces in between the sounds.

If any disturbances occur,

External or internal,

Let them draw you more deeply within.

As you settle in more deeply,

Let yourself move within,

Becoming still.

Simply following the guidance of my voice.

Allow yourself to let go of all thoughts,

Worry,

And tension.

And now shift from thinking and doing to feeling and being.

And breathe in fully,

Exhale with another deep sigh.

And again,

Breathe in fully,

And exhale with a deep sigh.

And let go even more.

As you let go,

Sense the earth beneath you.

Sense the earth rising up to embrace the weight of your body.

Know the earth welcomes you.

You are welcome here,

For you are made up of all the same elements as she is.

And the same spirit infuses all of you,

All of us.

Sense the connecting points of your own body with the body of the earth.

Now allow us to plant a seed of intention that is your sankalpa.

This is a way of being that is born of the heart.

If words cannot be formulated in this moment,

Simply trust in the deeper intuitive guidance of your own soul's wisdom already knows the way.

Can you listen to the heart and say yes.

Or allow for an intention or resolve to arise that may take form through words that are stated several times in a positive way in the present tense,

As an expression of your heartfelt mission or desire.

Give your life meaning and direction.

And then let it echo in your body as though it were already so.

And letting that go.

Now let the sound of my voice be your guide and support you in experiencing sensations throughout your body.

As I name each area,

You may feel sensations that are present,

Or nothing in particular.

But whatever you experience is perfect,

Just as it is in this moment.

Bring attention to sensations inside the mouth,

Roof of the mouth,

Floor,

Inside cheeks,

Left and right,

Back of the throat,

Tongue,

The entire mouth as a field of sensation.

The ears,

Left ear and right ear.

Sensing both ears at the same time.

And welcoming the breath as pure sensation in the nose,

Left nostril,

Right nostril.

Both nostrils at the same time.

Left eye,

Right eye.

Both eyes together.

A field of radiant sensation.

And sensing forehead,

Scalp,

Back of the head,

Neck,

Inside the throat.

Sensation inside the throat.

Left shoulder,

Left upper arm,

Elbow,

Forearm,

Wrist,

Left palm,

And fingers.

The entire left arm.

And right shoulder.

Right upper arm.

Elbow.

Forearm.

Wrist.

Right palm.

And fingers.

The entire right arm.

Both arms and hands together as one field of radiant sensation.

Sensation now at the upper chest,

Upper back,

Middle chest,

Middle back,

Abdomen,

Lower back,

Pelvis,

Sacrum.

The entire torso as a field of vibrant sensation.

Left buttock.

Left hip.

Thigh.

Knee.

Left foreleg.

Foot and toes.

The entire left leg.

Now right buttock.

Right hip.

Thigh.

Knee.

Right foreleg.

Foot and toes.

The entire right leg.

Sensing both legs and feet at the same time as radiant sensation.

And sensing the entire front of the body,

Back of the body,

Left side,

Right side.

Sensing the entire body,

Inside and outside as a field of radiant sensation.

And be aware of all that is now present in your awareness.

Feeling yourself as the one who is aware of everything that's present.

First sensing what's present.

Then experiencing yourself as the field of awareness in which everything is coming and going.

And become aware of the body breathing and the flow of the breath as sensation in nostrils.

The abdomen gently rising as breath flows in.

And releasing as breath flows out.

The body breathing naturally and rhythmically.

In-breath,

Abdomen rising.

Out-breath,

Abdomen releasing.

No need to change anything.

The body breathing itself.

And being aware of all that's present in your awareness.

Feeling yourself as the one who is aware of everything that's present.

Sensing what's now present.

Then experiencing yourself dissolving into being the field of awareness in which everything is arising.

And now bring attention to feelings of warmth in the body.

Allowing this warmth to blossom fully into your body.

If no feelings are present,

As may happen,

Simply welcoming whatever is present.

And now locate the opposite of this feeling.

If you're feeling warmth,

Find coolness.

Welcoming an opposite of feeling of coolness fully into the body.

And now welcome both opposites of feeling into the body at the same time.

This may be warmth and coolness.

At the same time,

Without thinking,

Simply experiencing how doing this affects your body and mind.

And again,

Be aware of all that is now present in your awareness.

Feeling yourself as the one who is aware of everything that's present.

Sensing what's present.

Then experiencing yourself as the field of awareness in which everything is arising.

And bring attention now to your eyebrow center.

Here,

Allow the following images to appear as though projected onto a screen.

We're simply allowing a sense of the images to arise naturally without judgment.

Clearly capture with your mind's eye or sense the experience and observe the effects as they resound through you.

Stars twinkling in a dark sky through palm trees on a balmy,

Tropical night.

Swirling mists of your exhaling breath on a winter's day.

You floating on calm,

Serene ocean with aqua blue waters.

A tall,

Majestic tree in full blossom with the hum of bees tending to it.

A tall,

Majestic tree with deep roots reaching into the bare earth.

The crackling sounds and sparks flying from a campfire.

And now allow for any spontaneous images to arise.

Revisit the living,

Vibrating field of life force moving through you.

Observe that there is also a vast,

Pervading stillness,

Silence,

And spaciousness.

Reach with your awaring presence into all directions.

Above you.

Beneath you.

To your right.

To your left.

Top of head.

Bottom of feet.

And just as this island is surrounded by deep waters,

Sense your body as its own little planet surrounded and infused by wide,

Open space and stillness.

Rest in this vast,

Open space,

Trusting fully that you are held in this ocean of compassionate,

Loving awareness.

In this space,

You can listen deeply to your own soul's whisperings.

Let go of any need to make anything happen.

Listening without effort.

Trusting in the inner knowing that arises from this space.

Now be attentive to sensations throughout your body of pleasure,

Happiness,

Joy,

Or well-being.

Perhaps it's helpful to recall a memory of a particular person,

Animal,

Place,

Or circumstance that invites joy or happiness into your body and being.

Experience the feeling of joy or happiness expanding throughout your whole body,

Every cell in your body welcoming a natural feeling of joy and happiness.

Perhaps experience an inner smile radiating from the cave of your heart,

Radiating throughout the entire landscape of your body.

Joy,

Happiness,

An inner smile washing through your entire body.

Now taking your time as your attention rises to the surface of your alert and wide awake state of wakefulness,

Sensing your body,

The room around you.

Eyes opening as you feel ready,

Perhaps wiggling your fingers and toes,

Gently moving your body,

Reorienting to where you are,

Where you're going,

Coming fully alert and wide awake.

And as this yoga nidra practice comes to an end,

Experience the feeling of gratitude for taking this time,

Welcoming and loving yourself,

Experiencing yourself as timeless,

Open,

Spacious well-being.

Perfect just as it is.

Yourself is whole,

Healthy,

Perfect just as you are.

In the unchanging spacious awareness in which everything is unfolding,

Thanking yourself for taking this time to practice yoga nidra.

And taking a moment to welcome your deepest knowing,

Trusting your heart's inner wisdom or repeating to yourself once in familiar language your sankalpa.

And then returning back fully,

This practice of yoga nidra is now complete.

Om shanti shanti shanti.